External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Saturday delivered a sharp remark directed at both the United States and Pakistan, while highlighting the contradictions in Washington’s approach toward Islamabad. He recalled that the Pakistani military—now receiving the trust of former US President Donald Trump—was the same institution that had sheltered Osama bin Laden, the mastermind of the September 11 terror attacks, in Abbottabad until his killing in 2011.
Speaking at an event, Jaishankar emphasized that the US and Pakistan share a complicated past. He remarked that the two nations not only have a history with one another but also have a tendency to “overlook” that very history. By invoking bin Laden’s case, Jaishankar underscored the duplicity of Pakistan’s role in global counterterrorism efforts and the selective amnesia often displayed in US foreign policy.
The comment came in the backdrop of Pakistan’s Army Chief, Field Marshal General Asim Munir, being invited to Washington for a meeting with Trump last month. The visit was notable as it marked a rare occasion where a Pakistani military chief was exclusively hosted by a sitting US president. It was also the first such meeting since India’s Operation Sindoor, reflecting Washington’s attempt to deepen ties with Pakistan’s military leadership.
Pakistan’s endorsement of Trump for a Nobel Peace Prize added further complexity to the situation. Munir had credited Trump with preventing what he described as a near-nuclear confrontation between India and Pakistan during their brief standoff in May. Jaishankar, however, cautioned against viewing such gestures as anything more than political convenience, noting that countries often pursue short-term strategies while overlooking deeper structural realities.
Meanwhile, US-India ties have faced strains over multiple issues. Washington’s repeated claims of mediating peace in the aftermath of Operation Sindoor were firmly rejected by New Delhi, which has consistently opposed third-party intervention in its disputes with Pakistan. Compounding the tensions, an ongoing tariff war has soured relations further. While the US paused tariffs on Chinese goods for 90 days, Trump imposed 25 percent tariffs on Indian imports and an additional levy on purchases of Russian oil, measures that have put additional pressure on bilateral ties.
At the same forum, Jaishankar also voiced criticism of the US stance on India’s energy cooperation with Russia. He questioned why Washington singled out New Delhi while sparing China and the European Union, both of which remain among the largest buyers of Russian energy resources. This selective approach, he argued, undermines fairness and highlights the inconsistencies in American foreign policy decisions.
